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Jacksonville artist captures beauty of North Florida parks in new book

Kathy Stark with her dog Tanner in the studio of her Lake Shore home. Tanner appears numerous times in the artwork of Stark’s new book. Watercolor artist Kathy Stark has just published her book “The Wilderness of North Florida’s Parks” illustrated with her paintings and information about each of the area’s natural parks. (Bob Self/Florida Times-Union)

Watercolor artist Kathy Stark has just published her book “The Wilderness of North Florida’s Parks” illustrated with her paintings and information about each of the area’s natural parks. (Bob Self/Florida Times-Union)

Watercolor artist Kathy Stark in the living room of her Lake Shore home. (Bob Self/Florida Times-Union)

“North Florida, Theodore Roosevelt Area, Series #1,” watercolor on paper, by Kathy Stark. The Jacksonville artist showcases some of the natural beauty in the area in her new book, “The Wilderness of North Florida’s Parks.”

“Jacksonville Arboretum and Gardens,” watercolor on paper, by Kathy Stark. The Jacksonville artist showcases some of the natural beauty in the area in her new book, “The Wilderness of North Florida’s Parks.”

“North Florida, Theodore Roosevelt Area, Series #2,” watercolor on paper, by Kathy Stark. The Jacksonville artist has a new book, “The Wilderness of North Florida’s Parks,” that showcases some of the natural beauty of the area.

Florida’s natural beauty turned Kathy Stark into an explorer when she was still just a kid, particularly where water was involved.

Oceans, rivers and lakes were magnets for the Jacksonville native.

When Stark began finding her way as an artist, she also felt the pull of nature. The paths and trails that led her to water, often densely lined with trees and other colorful plants, inspired her as well.

Several years ago, Stark had completed four or five watercolor paintings capturing scenery in parks and preserves in Northeast Florida.

But the arrival of the crowd-funding festival One Spark in 2013, Stark said, helped her think beyond the artist’s customary mentality of “This is my work, I hope you like it” and envision a larger purpose.

The eventual result: 19 large-scale watercolor paintings of parks, preserves, conservation areas and forests within an hour’s drive of downtown Jacksonville, all found in her new book, “The Wilderness of North Florida’s Parks.”

The book, which also contains illustrations, sketches, maps and journal entries, is meant to serve as an inspirational guide. She hopes her efforts to capture portions of these unspoiled treasures — from Big Talbot Island to the Bartram Canoe Trail to the Bayard Conservation Area, to name just a few — will motivate people to visit them.

“I think our natural beauty is what we should be known for,” Stark said.

All of the fine art paintings in the book can be seen in life-size form at the Museum of Science & History. The exhibit, which was originally scheduled to end in late May, has been extended through Sept. 6.

She is frequently accompanied by her boyfriend, and sometimes by Tanner, her golden retriever.

Tanner is a joyful boat passenger, Stark said, and the presence of water makes it easy for him to go for a swim and cool off when necessary. (He’s also the subject of the “Where’s Tanner?” challenge toward the end of the book, since he appears in a total of 21 sketchbook drawings and photos.)

“I like to be outside,” she said, and in a way, her artwork translates to “painting my adventures.”

The creative process begins with photographs.

Like many nature artists, “I see landscapes,” she said, usually at eye — but sometimes at kayak — level.

All of her painting is done in her studio. Stark felt compelled to share this fact because people often ask her if she does her work on location.

It’s just not practical, she said. Aside from the potential for general distractions and unfavorable conditions that exist in nature, the threat of such things as sudden downpours keeps it from being a good idea.

Because of the subject matter, she prefers to paint on large canvases. Typically, Stark’s watercolors measure 3-by-4-feet or 3-by-5-feet.

“I paint realistically,” Stark said, “and then use artistic license to amplify color.” The approach gives the result “more of a look of painting than of a photograph.”

When she started the “Wilderness” project, she had been to “50 to 60 percent” of the 60 destinations featured in book.

That left a lot territory for Stark to research explore.

“I’m a native of Jacksonville, and I learned a lot,” she said. One of the most satisfying discoveries: Bayard Conservation Area, located just west of the Shands Bridge near Green Cove Springs.

Fort George Island Cultural State Park is her favorite destination as an outdoorsman, Stark said, “for the variety of experiences it offers.” The list of options includes off-road bicycling, hiking, boating and fishing.

As a nature lover and artist, the Theodore Roosevelt Area — 600 acres of forest, wetlands and scrub vegetation adjacent to the Fort Caroline National Monument — and the Jacksonville Arboretum and Gardens — a 120-acre urban woodland with numerous trails, also located in Arlington — rank as Stark’s favorites.

“Visually, they have so much diversity,” she said.

She likes going back to many of the locations she painted. Sometimes she’s just curious to see how something may have changed.

But basically, Stark just enjoys the rewards of being in a natural environments.

“It’s so beautiful.” Stark said. “You have to get out and get in it.”

A COMMUNITY RESOURCE

Stark published the book in a partnership with with the Timucuan Parks Foundation, The nonprofit was established to promote and protect the Timucuan Parks, which consists of 23 preservation parks in the greater Jacksonville area. A portion of the proceeds from book sales goes to the group.

She also includes information about St. Johns Riverkeeper and the North Florida Land Trust.

Times-Union columnist Mark Woods, the author of a book about his exploration of the country’s national parks system, wrote the foreward to “The Wilderness of North Florida’s Parks.” Bob Graham, former Florida governor and U.S. Senator, wrote the afterword.

“Mark provides the written encouragement for people to visit the parks, I offer the visual inspiration,” Stark said. “Bob Graham wraps it up by addressing environmental concerns for the whole state, and reminding people they have a vote in this.”

The book will be donated to public libraries and public school libraries in Duval, Clay, Nassau and St. Johns Counties through Merrill-Lynch, a corporate sponsor of the project.

Together, these components help define the the “larger purpose” that Stark first envisioned for the project back in 2013: Get people to experience the area’s parks, support some of the local non-profits dedicated to conservation, and provide an educational resource to the community.

“People ask so many questions about my experiences, I’ve started to feel like a park ambassador,” Stark said.

She is already thinking about a follow-up to “The Wilderness of North Florida’s Parks” — parks on the St. Johns River, for example, or in other areas of the state.

“I’m happy to be known as a Florida artist,” she said.

David Crumpler: (904) 359-4164

‘The Wilderness of North Florida’s Parks’

Price: $25 paperback, $40 paperback.

For more information, or to purchase the book: www.kathystark.com.

The book is also available at the Museum of Science & History Gift Store, The Book Mark in Neptune Beach, San Marco Bookstore, The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens Gift Shop, Black Creek Outfitters, North Guana Outpost and Edge City in Five Points.

Jacksonville artist captures beauty of North Florida parks in new book- By